WASHINGTON – American Tradition Partnership Executive Director Donald Ferguson sharply criticized the 193 U.S. House members who voted Tuesday against repealing an impending national ban on incandescent light bulbs. While a majority of members voted for repeal the bill was to be brought to the House floor under a suspension of the rules requiring a two-thirds majority to pass. The motion failed on a 233-193 vote.

Sponsored by Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) H.R. 2417, the Better Use of Light Bulbs Act, repeals language in a 2007 bill the effectively bans the production of incandescent light bulbs starting in 2012.

“Monday’s vote by a radical minority of House members to block repeal of a national ban on light bulbs was an attack on jobs, family budgets and consumer freedom,” said Ferguson. “You voted to punish your own constituents to fill the pockets of the ‘green’ speculators who fund many of your campaigns.”

“The light bulb ban fills homes with toxic mercury linked to birth defects, forces working families to spend more on bulbs and increases electricity consumption. It successfully fulfills the environmentalist agenda of punishing Americans with higher prices for energy,” said Ferguson.

“If you are a House member who voted to ban light bulbs Monday, American Tradition Partnership’ large and growing grassroots support will hold you accountable,” said Ferguson.

“I want to personally thank Congressman Barton for sponsoring this bill to protect consumers and the public health,” said Ferguson.

Mercury, or-called “compact fluorescent,” bulbs consume more, not less, energy. Research from the International Association for Energy-Efficient Lighting finds assembly of an incandescent bulb consumes 0.11 Kwh, but assembly of a mercury bulb consumes 16 times more energy, 1.8 Kwh.

Mercury bulbs also burn out quickly, often quicker than incandescent bulbs, if turned on or off. Consumers must leave their lights on at all times to preserve the bulbs in order to avoid having to constantly buy expensive replacement bulbs. Many mercury bulb users do this anyway, rationalizing they can afford to leave the lights on at all times assuming they are using less power.

The net result is increased energy use, the opposite of what mercury bulb advocates claim.

ATP does not advocate the election or defeat of candidates. Powered by grassroots members, ATP is a fast-growing non-profit citizens’ group dedicated to promoting rational, responsible energy and environmental policies.